5 Signs You Need a Professional Resume Critique

Your resume is arguably one of the most important marketing tools you’ll employ during your job search.

In fact, a recent Jobvite study found that 93 percent of recruiters rely on resumes to evaluate candidates. The bottom line is that you need a great resume if you want to land the right job -- and fast!

Unsure if your resume can stand up to the competition and catch the eye of an employer? Here are five signs your resume could benefit from a professional resume review.

It’s been awhile since your last job search.

If it’s been five or more years since you seriously conducted a job search, you may be in for a few surprises when you decide to look for a new job. As technology and recruiting practices continue to evolve, so have the resume writing rules. From formatting and layout to content and keywords, there are many items to take into account when evaluating and updating your resume.

Luckily, there are plenty of free resume critique services available to help you determine if your resume is up to snuff or if it needs to be professionally rewritten.

Your goals have changed.

If you’re a few years beyond the entry-level position, it’s time to update your resume to reflect this status. The same thing goes for anyone who’s interested in changing careers or taking on their first leadership role. If your goals have changed or your career has evolved, so too should the format and content of your resume.

Share these changes with a professional resume writing service so they can determine if your new goals are clear to the reader and supported throughout your resume.

ATS systems, keyword optimization… it’s all Greek to you.

Most job applications pass through an electronic filter known as an applicant tracking system (or ATS for short) before they make their way to the hiring manager. If your resume isn’t formatted properly or optimized with the right keywords, there’s a good chance it won’t past these initial screens.

Submit your resume for a free evaluation to ensure your online job applications will sail through the ATS systems and make it on to the hiring manager for review.

You’re unsure what to include (or remove).

What contact information belongs on your resume? How important is it to include a resume objective statement? How far back should your employment history go? Can you include information about classes you’ve taken or volunteer work you’ve done?

A professional resume critique could be just what you need to figure out what’s missing from your resume and what needs to go.

Your situation is complicated.

Perhaps you’ve been struggling to find steady work in your field for the past few years or your resume has some glaring employment gaps. While you can’t change the past, there are some steps you can take to smooth out a bumpy work history. Once you’ve edited your resume to downplay any shortcomings, request a professional resume critique to see how successful you were at filling in the gaps.